Brandon Murphy

Are you an advocate of your wireless provider?

If someone asked you which wireless brand has the most brand advocates, how would you answer?  Would it be clear?  It's a tough question because many of us have a very adversarial relationship with our wireless provider (no matter how cool our phones are).  With questionable customer service, unforgiving contracts and dropped calls 30% of wireless customers feel they are moving away from their current wireless provider, while only 23% are moving toward (the other 53% claim they are neither moving toward or away).

Despite those realities, one wireless provider stands out, having as many advocates as the likes of Jet Blue, Target and Sony.

Download the full paper and advocacy report here: Download 22squared Wireless Provider Paper .

Make things the "Internet" will want to play with

Faris Yakob has made some awesome posts and presentations on enabling people to spread your message.  Along with Griffin's blog dedicated to Propagation Planning, Faris has really nailed how to create assets that people will play with, remix, and make their own.  Because when people make things they feel they own, they share.  And when people share, brands win.  As agencies and communicators work to promote brands, we have to approach challenges differently and think about how to equip people to spread our message for us.  That means starting with content that can be messed with, without seeking to control how its messed with.  That's a totally different way to approach advertising than making a :30 spot.  It requires story telling, cultural context, symbols, language, video, pictures...all assets people can use to create around your theme or central idea.

It's exciting to think about and even more exciting to do. Read these very smart blogs about it.

Interesting: A History of Recombinant Culture
Recombinant Branding

2009 Trend Map from WHAT'S NEXT

Probably the bleakest trend map I've seen in my professional career. Looks like 2009 is going to be all about helping brands and consumers cope. 

Go here for the PDF file.

What companies can learn from the Military.

Saw this recent post from David Meerman Scott on the Air Force's strategy for reaching 18 year olds via social media.  Furthermore, they have detailed rules of engagement for talking with influential people who are talking about them on the social web (see chart below).  In today's environment, it's not so easy to convince an 18 year old that the armed services is the best direction for their life.  So the Air Force has adapted out of necessity, and I know dozens of companies that need to as well.  With retailers and manufacturers seeking every sale they can get, it pays to have a formal, aggressive and strategic social media strategy.

 

UPDATE:  Aurthur Mitchell just made me aware of a great social networking sites created for the Mom's who have questions and concerns about what Navy like will be like for their kids.  Great site with more than 10K members.

http://www.navyformoms.com/